Rita Cosby is leaving MSNBC at the end of the month. Her contract was due to expire April 1 and was not going to be renewed, according to sources familiar with the matter.

MSNBC cancelled Cosby's 10 p.m. show, Rita Cosby Live and Direct, in June. The network dumped Tucker Carlson's 11 p.m. show then too to make way for documentary programming.

At the time, Cosby was named head of a new specials unit, but she has been featured sparingly since.

The former Fox News personality gained notoriety for her celebrity pieces, most recently a story on Anna Nicole Smith's private funeral in the Bahamas.

"NBC replaced live programming with taped shows during some primetime slots, including mine," Cosby said in a statement. "I then began discussions with the network about my future interests and expressed my desire to move on.

"I am committed to devoting my attention full-time to my work and obligations at the network. I intend to continue doing so until I leave at the end of the month. I wish all of my MSNBC and NBC colleagues the best for the future. As of April 1st, I will begin to explore the new opportunities."

Her reporting for Fox during 9/11 was pretty good. She should never have left. They gave her meaty stuff to work on. I think she is a good reporter who flourishes under a good editor. PMSNBC doesn't have good editors. Look at the judgment that goes into their programming. Hope Fox takes her back.

MSNBC seems to run these "life in prison" and other kinds of pre-packaged things over and over. It has occured to me that they don't have the money to run the kinds of shows they want - and need - to run to remain a player in the cable news mileu.

Well, perhaps she'll realize where her best interests lie and become a real reporter again...

I knew Rita's mother, we were neighbors and walked our dogs together in the morning for several years before she passed away. Rita is basically a solidly middle-class kid who did well at the start-up FoxNews and got too big for her britches there and then went to PMS-NBC. Too bad.

I think Rita Cosby was/is good at the stuff she does, and has a rolodex of contacts that any reporter would give a years pay for.

I don't think she should have \ left FNC, but i'd rather watch her, than Geraldo...he's degenerated back to the kind of smamy stories he used to do, that got him his sleazy reputation...Whatever happened to 'Geraldo: Intrepid WOT Reporter'?

20
posted on 03/12/2007 10:05:00 AM PDT
by NickatNite2003
(From the Man from Hope" to the wife who snarls "Abandon All Hope!")

Yeah, no kidding. It was a Shelly Long career move that, as we can all see, had predictable results.

I love watching Geraldo squirm on FNC. Sometimes I think only hired him so they could force him to be polite to O'Reilly. He's getting exactly what he deserves, but I'm not so sure about Rita. She really was a good reporter.

I've wondered why Fox didn't get Monica Crowley...she is one smart lady, and is great on the radio. I, too, wish they would bring Linda Vester back. Not only was she smart, she stood her ground and made liberals look silly with their obnoxious and idiotic comments.

I have nothing against Rita Crosby, and found her to be good at what she did. She was always well prepared, and I guess I had a different take on her performance during the Supreme Court Hearing about Bush and Gore. I thought she was trying to get the "scoop" which is what reporters are supposed to do.

Geraldo has never appealed to me, so I don't watch him, but if Fox has a demand for him so be it. I wish they would give Linda Vester a good time slot!

All of these bimbos (including Geraldo) who chase the celebrity bandwagon, Rita, Geraldo & Greta, can all go scratch as far as I'm concerned. It's this garbage, along with the hour-upon-hour junk about Smith-what's-her-name type coverage that drags down that network. Who cares?

I always liked her. I thought she was intelligent, charming and "hot".

FOX has been doing some weird things lately with their better newscasters. I think they have problems with higher level management there - serious problems, which isn;t good for the only network that attempts to give conservatives a break.

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